Salvage/ Salvation: NEST

Salvage/Salvation Part 3: NEST was commissioned by the Queens Botanical Garden in July 2004. The Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) is an innovative neighborhood institution that is deeply involved in advocating and practicing sustainability. It is utilized as an extended backyard by people from Flushing, Queens, one of the most ethnically diverse areas on the planet. In NEST, several artists created an environment that used the nest-building practices of birds as its template. Working with the backyard nature of the QBG, the artists will use materials left behind on the premises to create a human nest from the detritus of the culture, as well as the organic debris of the Garden.

For NEST, the artists taught workshops for the Children’s Garden, and other workshops were advertised through the Garden publicity materials.

The video gives snapshots of the event as it developed over three weeks. It includes a survey of the exhibit overlaid with conversations, children building their nests, performances, and details of each sculpture.

Visual Artists: Sean Bronzell, Janusz Jaworski, Alessandra Nichols, Walter Polkosnik, Arturo Vidich & Aki Sasamoto and YuWhuan, directed by Clarinda Mac Low created human nests with organic debris and discarded materials from the Garden, using the nest-building practices of birds as a template. There were also three sculptures made by children.
Performers: Arturo Vidich & Aki Sasamoto, Clarinda Mac Low, drummers from the Brooklyn/Queens Conservatory of Music.
Location: The Rose Garden, a centrally located grassy area flanked by benches.
Audience: Local residents of Flushing, Queens (families, children, older people, local care facilities, camps, wedding parties and birthday celebrations), international tourists and visitors from other boroughs.